Roller skates traditionally have a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels. Roller skates for use outdoors are generally of the clamp-on type whereas roller skates for indoors are generally of the shoe type. Roller skates of the shoe type for use indoors are not satisfactory for outdoor skating on pavements, sidewalks, parking lots and the like.
I have found that better balance and control for outdoor skating is attained by providing only one front wheel, one rear wheel aligned with the front wheel, and a pair of center wheels with all wheels of the same size.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,623 teaches a shoe having wheels removably attached thereto with the front and rear wheels of different widths, and with three wheels being in the sole portion of the shoe. Thus, in said patent, the pair of wheels on a common axle are not positioned so as to be equidistant from the front and rear wheels.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,393,813 to provide a pair of center wheels equidistant from front and rear wheels which are aligned with one another. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,393,813, the front and rear wheels are substantially smaller than the center wheels whereby the skate does not roll on all four wheels at the same time. As will be apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2 of the last-mentioned patent, the front wheel is wider than the rear wheel, the center wheels are not beneath the shoe, and the rear wheel is supported by a spring bracket which yields under pressure to apply friction when it is desired to stop.
The skate of the present invention has features in common with skates in each of said patents. However, the skate of the present invention differs substantially from the skates in each of said patents as will be made clear hereinafter.